ĂrkĂ©ny IstvĂĄn: Az öregember Ă©s az autĂł (with English translation)
Ez a törtĂ©net alkalmasint nem igaz. De nemcsak az igaz törtĂ©netekre Ă©rdemes figyelni; az is Ă©rdekes, hogyan mesĂ©lnek el egy nem igaz esemĂ©nyt.  Aki elmesĂ©lte, öt Ă©vvel ezelĆtt Ăgy mesĂ©lte volna el: Megy a balatoni orszĂĄgĂșton egy mezĂtlĂĄbas, toprongyos öregember. Egyszer csak elkezd integetni, mert arra jön egy nagy-nagy automobil. Az autĂł megĂĄll, a sofĆr kinyitja az ajtĂłt.
 - Miért integet, elvtårsam? - szól ki.
 - Hovå tetszenek menni?
 - Budapestre, elvtårsam.
 - Nem tetszenĂ©nek magukkal vinni? - Ă©rdeklĆdik az öregember.
 - Nincs hely az autĂłban, elvtĂĄrsam - vĂĄlaszolja a sofĆr.
 Becsapja az ajtót, és elrobog.
Most azonban mĂĄskĂ©ppen mesĂ©ltĂ©k el, miközben sĂŒtött a nap, kĂ©ken csillogott a tĂł, Ă©s mĂĄr jobbnĂĄl jobb törtĂ©neteket mesĂ©ltĂŒnk el egymĂĄsnak.
Megy a balatoni orszĂĄgĂșton egy mezĂtlĂĄbas, toprongyos öregember. Egyszer csak arra jön egy nagy-nagy automobil. Az autĂł megĂĄll, a sofĆr kinyitja az ajtĂłt.
 - Budapestre megy, öreg?
 - Oda - mondja az öregember.
 - HĂĄt szĂĄlljon be, öreg, elvisszĂŒk - mondja a sofĆr barĂĄtsĂĄgosan.
 Az öregember odalép, bedugja a fejét a kocsiba, és megkérdezi:
 - Rådió nincs?
 Mind a két történet szép, de egyik sem igaz.
 Az igazsĂĄg az, hogy a mezĂtlĂĄbas, toprongyos öregember megy az orszĂĄgĂșton.
Jön a nagy-nagy automobil, de neki eszébe se jut, hogy integessen, és a
sofĆrnek sem, hogy megĂĄlljon.
 Ez a történet viszont igaz, de nem szép.
 1955 - Egyperces novellĂĄkÂ
Translation by Judith Sollosy:
The Old Man and the Great Big Automobile (One Minute Stories)
The Following story may not be true, but stories that are not true deserve our attention, too, because itâs the way stories are told thatâs enlightening. Anyone telling this particular story five years ago would have told it in the following way:
An old man is walking, ragged and barefooted, along the road from Balaton. After a while he starts waving his arm, because he sees a great big automobile come along. The great big automobile stops, and the driver opens the door.
âWhy are you waving, Comrade?â he asks.
âWhere are you headed?â the old man inquires.
âWeâre heading up to Budapest, Comrade.â
âWould you kindly take me with you?â the old man asks.
âThereâs no room in the car, Comrade,â the driver says, slams the door, and steps on the gas.
Now as the sun is shining, the blue lake is sparkling and we are exchanging many good stories with each other, this story, too, comes up again, but in a new guise:
An old man is walking, ragged and barefooted, along the road from Balaton, when a great big automobile comes along. The great big automobile stops and the driver opens the door.
âAre you headed for Budapest, old man?â he asks.
âYes,â the old man says.
âGet in, old man, weâll take you along,â the driver says with a friendly smile.
The old man goes over, sticks his head in the window, and asks:
âHave you got a radio?â
Both stories are good, but neither story is true. The truth is that the old man, ragged and barefooted, is walking along the road when there comes a great big automobile, but it never occurs to him to wave, nor does it ever occur to the driver to stop.
This is the true story. On the other hand, it is not as good as the other two.
















